As the use of mass mailings becomes more common, it becomes more important for an entity doing mass mailing to be able to provide a distinctiveness, personalized, mailing piece in order to achieve a high rate of response. Particularly important is the ability to provide variable information of relevance to the recipient of a mailing piece on many, if not all, of the components of the mailing piece, yet do so in an inexpensive manner with a high rate of accuracy and a low reject rate.
According to the present invention a method for producing a distinctive mailing piece is provided in a highly efficient manner that allows variable informationxe2x80x94such as the addressee""s punctuated full namexe2x80x94on all (if desired) parts of the mail piece. The mail piece according to the invention has a distinctive look, having a larger envelope with a back side flap with a smaller envelope secured (e.g. by hot melt adhesive) to the front of the larger envelope and with the flap of the smaller envelope accessible from the front. The variable information is visible on both of the envelopes, and may include address information (street address, city and state and zipcode, and bar code) as part of the variable information for either one or both of the envelopes. Each of the envelopes has at least one insert, and all or some of the inserts may also have the common variable indicia thereon, providing a very personalized and distinctive mail piece. The envelopes may be made in a very efficient manner using continuous webs of paper, for example the first envelope made by merely folding a web/sheet of paper with adhesive along two sides except at the flap area, and forming the second envelope by joining two webs of paper, with inserts between them and with the first envelope adhesively secured by spot adhesive (in either strip or dot form) to one of the webs, and providing adhesive along the sides and one end edge of the webs with the flap at the other end edge.
According to an aspect of the present invention a method of making a multiple envelope assembly at a common location using a machine with multiple stations, using at least first, second, third, fourth and fifth webs of paper, each having first and second opposite faces, is provided. The method comprises automatically: (a) At a first station effectively imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the first web of paper, including first variable indicia. (b) At a second station, effectively imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the second web of paper, including the first variable indicia. (c) Cutting and then folding, or folding and then cutting the first web to form a first insert. (d) Moving the first insert into operative association with the second face of the second web. (e) Applying a first adhesive to part of the second face of the second web. (f) Folding the first sheet so that the first face forms the exterior of a first envelope and the first adhesive seals portions of the second face to each other so that the second face forms the interior of the first envelope, and so that the insert is provided in the interior of the first envelope. (g) Applying a second, spot adhesive to the first envelope. (h) At a third station, imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the third web of paper, including the first variable indicia. (i) Attaching the first envelope to the first face of the third web using the second, spot, adhesive so that the first variable indicia on each are visible at the same time. (j) At a fourth station, imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the fourth web of paper, including the first variable indicia. (k) Applying a third adhesive to at least one of the second face of the third web and the second face of the fifth web. (l) Cutting, folding, or folding and cutting the fourth web to form a second insert. (m) Bringing the third and fifth webs together with the second insert therebetween and sealing the second face of the third web to the second face of the fifth web to produce a plurality of pre-second envelopes in web form. And, (n) cutting the third and fifth webs to form each pre-second envelope into a second envelope larger than the first envelope.
The method may be practiced utilizing a sixth web of paper, and further comprising: (o) at a fifth station, imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the sixth web of paper, including the first variable indicia; and (p) cutting the sixth web to form a third insert; and wherein (m) may be practiced to also provide the third insert between the third and fifth webs. Other inserts can likewise be formed. In the implementation of the method (a), (b), (h) and (j) may be practiced to image addressee name indicia as at least part of the first variable indicia. Also at least one of (b) and (h) may be practiced to also image address indicia as part of the variable indicia imaged thereby, either directly onto an envelope outer surface, or to a label or the like applied thereto.
In practicing (a), (b), (h), and (j), the non-variable indicia may be printed using a multi-color flexographic press assembly, and the first variable indicia printed using an ink jet printer. Further, (a)-(n) may be practiced so as to produce a second envelope having a surface area at least 20% greater than the first envelope, and (f) may be practiced to form a flap; and the method may further comprise applying a fourth, cross strip, of adhesive on the second face of the second web at the flap; and (i) practiced to attach the first envelope to the first face of the third web so that the first envelope flap is visible from the exterior of the second envelope. Also, (n) may be practiced to form a second flap in the third web; and the method may further comprise applying a cross strip of adhesive on the second face of the third web at the flap.